Reversible brake-beam fulcrum



, wry-*"1 J. BLAKESLEE AREVERS:[BLE BRAKE BEAM FULCRUM Filed Nov. 2, 1925 ZZ Y Nov. 1^, 1927.

Patented Nov. l, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,647,601 PATENT OFFICE.

JEROME BLAKESLEE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN STEEL FOUNDRIES, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A'CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

REVERSIBLE BRAKE-BEAM FULCRUM.

Application filed November 2, 1925. Serial No. 66,168.

This invention relates to a reversible brake beam fulcrum. t

One object of the invention is to provide a simple, durable and efficient reversible brake beam fulcrum which is relatively light and inexpensive. Y

Another object is to provide a reversible fulcrum of the type above indicated in which the parts are constructed and cooperate in a manner to meet all of the requirements under service conditions.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangement' disclosed on the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved reversible fulcrum, showing the tension and compression members in section;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the arrangement shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken in the plane of line 3 3 of Figure 1, the fulcrum being shown in its central position; and,

Figure 4 is a similar sectional view showing the fulcrum member rotated into one of its normal 40 degree operative positions.

The invention is illustrated in connection with a cast metal fulcrum having a main body portion 10, a. seat 11 at one end thereof for the reception of a tension rod 12, and a loop at the other end for the reception of a compression member 13. The main body portion is provided with an elongated slot 14 for the reception of a brake lever (not shown), which is pivoted to the fulcrum by a pin (not shown) which passes through aligned apertures 15.

The tension rod seat is convexly formed and preferably has upper and lower curved walls 16 and 17 which permit a rotation of the fulcrum through an angle of 40 degrees each side of its central position. The fulcrum is limited in its rotation by the members 16 and 17 engaging the upper and lower portions respectively of the tension member 12.

The compression receiving member of the fulcrum preferably takes the form of a loop including an upper wall 18, a lower wall 19, a front wall 20 and a rear wall 21. Referring particularly to Figures 3 and 4, it will be noted that each of the upper and lower walls 18 and 19 has a single projection 22 extending at right angles from the longitudinal center of said walls to engage the upper and lower flanges 23 andv 24 of the channel shaped compression member and thereby n pression member. As shown in Figure 4, en-

larged or beaded portions 26 ofthe upper and lower walls 18 and 19 also engage the flanges 23 and 24 of the compression member to assist in limiting the angular rotation of the reversible fulcrum. To center the fulcrum, the rear wall 21 of the loop is provided with a projection 27 which extends into an opening 28 in web 29 of the compression member. For locking the fulcrum in adjusted position, any suitable wedge may be drivenin between the inner surfaces of the web 29 of the compression member and a rearwardly extending projection 30 on the main body portion 10 of the fulcrum. The wedge is omitted in the drawings for the sake of clearness. The projections 22 extending from the upper and lower walls 18 and 19 of the loop extend between and connect the front and rear walls 20 and 21 of the loop for strengthening same and reducing to a minimum unsupported distance between said projections.

This simple integrally formed cast metal fulcrum uses a minimum amount of metal and is therefore relatively light, the cost thereof being correspondingly reduced. It will be understood that the position of the fulcrum shown in Figure 4 may be reversed by swinging the` fulcrum through an angle of 80 degrees. The fulcrum therefore may be used both as a right hand fulcrum and as a left hand fulcrum, and as a matter of fact, may be used with a brake lever in a vertical position as shown in Figure 3.

The term longitudinal center as used in the specification and the claims, means the center line or plane of the brake beam fulcrum which extends in a longitudinal direction or along the length of the fulcrum.

I claim:

1. A reversible brake beam fulcrum comprising a main body portion having a tension rod receiving seat at one end and a compression member receiving loop at the other end, the upper and lower walls of said loop each having a single projection extending at right angles from the longitudinal center of said walls to engage the compression member to limit angular movement of the nl- Crum.

2. A reversible brake beam i'nlorum comjarising a main body portion having a tension rod receiving seat at one end and a cornpression member receiving loop at the other end, the upper and lower Walls ofsaid loop each having a single projection extending at right angles from the longitudinal center of Said Walls to engage the compression member to limitl angular movement of the fulcrnm, said projections connecting the front end rear walls of said loop to strengthen the loop.

A reversible brake beam ulcrum comprising a. main body portion having a tension rod receiving seatat one end and a compression member receiving loop at the other end7 the upper and lower Walls of Said loop eaoh having a single projection extending from the longitudinal center of said Walls to engage the compreesion member to limit the angular movement of the ulcruin.'

Li. A reversible brake beam fulci'nin coinprisingarinainv body portion having a tension rod receiving seat at one end and a compression member. receiving portion at the other'end, said compression member receiving-portion havingupper and lovver Walls each with a projection extending from the longitudinal center of said Walls to engage the compression member to limit the angular movement of the fulcrum.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this SOthrday of October, 1925. Y

JEROME BLAKESLEE. 

